Victory then vitriol
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Hey Momentum readers,
2021 is finally here and boy what a doozy it has been. Just six days in we experienced one of the most insane moments of our young country’s history (if you ignore the actual beginning of this country’s history which for me will always be its biggest stain). For many, last week’s attack on the Capitol comes as no surprise. We’ve been well aware that this president’s vitriolic rhetoric was reaching a base that would eventually become empowered enough to act out. What did come as a surprise to some was law enforcement’s reaction to this attack and the stark double standard we all witnessed. That double standard is anti-Black racism at play.
READ: White Privilege Stormed the Castle, Er, Capitol
But, despite that, let’s not forget how January 6 started. This now-historic day began with well-deserved praise of Stacey Abrams and all of the hard work she put forth to essentially save our nation from itself and turn Georgia blue. By the end of the day, this victory felt like it had been stolen from us but I implore you to soak it in, don’t let them steal our collective joy.
Let’s also use last week as a reminder of why it’s so important to fight like hell for local representatives who won’t enable hate. And while everyone labels Abrams a saint (she is undoubtedly amazing and deserves her flowers) and hails the magic that is a Black woman at work, we should also note that we still need this country to listen to us when we’re not saving them.
READ: The WNBA Must Dispose of Kelly Loeffler
Lastly, with 2020 a bit too close in the rear view, many of us are still trying to figure out how optimistic we should be about the next 353 days ahead of us. I don’t have an answer for that but in staying true to Momentum’s mission, one thing I can suggest is keeping your foot on the gas when it comes to calling out racism when you see it; being a better ally; pushing for more/better representation; supporting Black businesses; dismantling systems that uphold White supremacist ideals; etc. We’ve got more work to do. Breathe, stretch, and rest when needed, but don’t let up.
Tracey Ford
— Editor, Momentum
More stories to keep in the conversation
I too went down a Bridgerton binge hole this past weekend, and am now reading Ruth Terry on her mixed feelings about the show. I’ll also be tuning in (don’t judge) to watch the first Black Bachelor find love(?). LEVEL’s own Tirhakah Love writes about how the franchise still struggles with race. And, that double standard I mentioned earlier, well, it’s not really a double standard, it’s really white privilege and supremacy at play, explains writer Ray Levy Uyeda. David Dennis Jr. offered one of my favorite views on last week’s insurrection which is that America showed us exactly who it is. And Hal H. Harris supports Black Americans taking a victory lap. Also, check out Kenya Woodard’s interview with Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen on Momentum.
